Category: Thought

The very essence of a free government consists in considering offices as public trusts, bestowed for the good of the country, and not for the benefit of an individual or a party.

It is harder to preserve than to obtain liberty.

The hope that poverty and ignorance may gradually be extinguished, derives indeed much support from the steady progress of the working classes during the nineteenth century.

To say that a bad government must be established for fear of anarchy is really saying that we should kill ourselves for fear of dying.

Civilized countries generally adopt gold or silver or both as money.

The market is like a lake agitated by the wind, where the water is incessantly seeking its level without ever reaching it.

A government could print a good edition of Shakespeare’s works, but it could not get them written.

With reasonable men, I will reason; with humane men I will plead; but to tyrants I will give no quarter, nor waste arguments where they will certainly be lost.

The artist may doubt his own work, but he is bitterly disappointed if other people doubt it also.